Educational apparatus



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INVENTOR I' E'. Habs-Zub BY uNrraDI (STATES "PATENT o FFlcE iirnAmr. EUGENE AUSTIN, or HANOVER, NEW lamentan 'EnUcATIoNAL APPARATUS Application led .Tune 21.,

This invention relates to educational devices, and has particular reference tol an apparatus for facilitating the observation, study l and photography of subterranean life', es-

, "pecially-v the life andf`habits Aof insects and smaller animals who live underground.

The invention primarily comprehends a case or enclosure containingla quantity of earth, sand ,or 'other substance which serves 10 as the natural habitat of the form of life which it is desired 'to observe, study or' photograph, together with said form of life, and which case or enclosure is provided with a transparent panel or portion through which i5 thed observations or photographs lmay be ma e. The invention further comprehends in an apparatus of the .character set forth, means for introducing to the interior of the enclosure sustenance for the form of lifel con-` tained therein, which means additionally serves to close the openin s by virtue of which the introduction of t e sustenance. isv

f 13 may reveal throu h its and actions thereof. 70

obtained.

g5 Other objects of the invention reside in the simplicity of construction and mode of. use of the device, the economy with which it may be produced andthe general eiiiciency derived therefrom.

" With the above recited and other objects in view, reference is had to the following description and accompanying drawings, in which'there isexhibited oneexample or embodiment of the invention, while the claim defines the actual scope of the same.l In the drawings- Figure 1 is aside view of acase constructed in accordance with the invention.

Figure 2 is an enlarged vertical sectional view therethrough taken approximately on the line 2-2 of Fi re 1. Figure 3 is a horizontal sectional planview therethrough taken approximately on the line 3-3 of Figure 1. 5

Referring to the drawings by 'character-sof 192e. seriai No. 372,708. reference, the case or enclosure is composed of a frame constructed of vertical stiles 5 and 6 and horizontal upper and lower Stiles 7 and 8 which are joined together :in any suitable 4 manner, such as by means of screws or other 5,'. f fastening elements 9, to Icomplete a substantiall .rectangular frame. The inner faces of t e stiles .are formed with transversely spacedcomplementary grooves 10 to receive t e spaced parallel panels 11, one or bothv of which 'panels are constructedof a transparent material, referably glass or its equivalent. Within tlie enclosure defined by the frame and the panels, a quantit of earth, a sand or other substance 12 is contained, which 00 substance forms the natural habitat of the insects, animals or other form of subterranean life whichis to be observed, studied or photographed. It is also understood that the desired number of insects, animals or other 35 forms of subterranean life are introduced into the enclosureso that their burrows, tunnels, passageways, caverns'or the likeillustrated at -the transparent panel or panels 11, the ha In order to'provide means for introducing sustenance,l such as water and food, to the insects .or animals, the upper stile 7 is provided with an aperture or apertures 14;' Instru-z a handle andy or supportingvthe-shanks 15 a5 i ,of theinstrument, also constitute sto pers for closing the apertures 14 to prevent t eescape @of the insectsor animals fromthe enclosure.

In practice, the lower stilefS may have attached thereto transversely disposed supporte0 ing feet 19 while the upper stile 7 may he provided with a handle 2() for 1ifting,carrying and transporting the case.

What is claimed is: An apparatus of the class described comrising a case having a glass side and containlng soil and ants, the tunnels and rooms made bythe ants being exposed through the glass side, there being an aperture in the case, an In elongated handle for closing the aperture, and a shank extending inwardly from the handle and providing means for supporting sustenance for the ants.

FRANK EUGENE AUSTIN. 

